1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tools and more particularly pertains to a sheet metal bending tools for prying and bending sheet metal flanges such as those found on vehicle doors, air conditioning duct work, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tools is known in the prior art. More specifically, tools heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of bending metal are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, an adjustable leverage pry bar is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,210 having a lever including a handle portion and a pry portion connected to the handle portion and in the form of an arcuate plate provided with a claw. A fulcrum member is mounted on the pry portion and is movable along the arcuate plate between the claw and the handle portion to effectively vary the angle and amount of leverage exerted by the lever.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,834 which discloses a pry bar and nail puller comprising an elongated steel bar having a hook shaped at one end and a nail puller at the opposite end. The elongated steel bar is slightly angled at the latter end and forked so as to form the nail puller.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a sheet metal bending tool for prying and bending sheet metal flanges that includes a handle having a pair of flange engaging jaws at opposed ends thereof in which a first jaw is positioned at a right angle to the handle and a second jaw is positioned colinearly with the handle. Furthermore, none of the known prior art tools disclose a sheet metal bending tool having an angle adjustment assembly for facilitating an adjustment of the relative angle between one of the jaws and the handle.
In these respects, the sheet metal bending tool according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of prying and bending sheet metal flanges such as those found on vehicle doors, air conditioning duct work, and the like.